Emergency Care AT Beverly Hills Oral Surgery California
Trauma inflicted upon the facial area which includes teeth or gums should never be taken lightly. When they are left unattended there can be permanent damage and you might require elaborate treatment procedures that might go pricey.
Tips for Dealing with Dental Emergencies
Toothaches- A thorough rinse with warm water helps a lot. In case of impaction of food particle, engage floss between the teeth to remove. If there is a swelling, application of cold compress outside cheek or mouth helps in reduction. Do not keep any painkiller like aspirin close to the tooth that has pain because that can lead to tissue burns. Consult your dentist at the earliest.
Chipped or broken teeth – Preserve all the broken pieces, if you happen to get any. Clean the mouth and the broken pieces with warm water. In case of bleeding, a gauze piece has to be placed on top of the bleeding point and pressed for about 10 minutes. Pain control and reduction in swelling can be brought about by application of cold compresses on the area of trauma. Meet your dentist as soon as possible.
Knocked-out tooth. Recover the tooth, hold the crown part (the portion seen that in the mouth), and wash off the root portion with water to eliminate dirt. Never scrub the tooth so that the fibers on the root surface remain intact. If you can, put the tooth into its socket without forcing it. The direction and the side of placement should be proper. If you are unable to reinsert, dip the tooth in a cup of milk or water that contains little table salt. The best method of preservation is to immerse it in solutions like Save-a-tooth. Whatever the case may be, call Dr.Gabbaypour as early as possible. A knocked out tooth can survive only if it is reinserted within one hour of the knocking out.
Extruded (partially dislodged) tooth. Give us a call at the earliest and start from your house. In the meantime, apply cold compresses outside the aching area till you reach our dental office. If pain is extreme, you can always pop in an over-the-counter painkiller like Tylenol.
Objects caught between teeth. Firstly, insert dental floss gently between the teeth to get rid of the object. If you are unable to do so meet your dentist. Never poke the teeth or gums with any sharp things like pins. They are harmful for gums as they may bleed and harmful for teeth a permanent scratch may be formed.
Lost filling. You can fill the cavity with a tiny piece of sugarless gum temporarily so that the cavity remains clean. Over-the-counter dental cements can also be used. Meet your dentist as soon as possible.
Lost crown. If your crown snaps down, secure it in a safe place and take it along with you when you go to meet your dentist. Try to go as soon as possible. In case you are not able to go instantly and the tooth in question is aching, just take little clove oil on a cotton roll and keep it over your tooth. Try to place the crown on top of the tooth and secure it in position with the help of over-the-counter dental cement, denture adhesive or toothpaste. Never try to stick the crown with superglue!
Broken braces wires. If your brace wire breaks or has come out from a bracket or band and is pinching your tongue, cheeks or gum, try a simple trick. With the eraser side of a pencil, thrust the wire into a position with reduced discomfort. If repositioning is not possible, stick orthodontic wax or a cotton ball or even a piece of gauze until you are able to meet your orthodontist. Do not cut off the protruding wire piece as there is always a chance to aspirate ( breathe) it into lungs or swallow it.
Loose brackets and bands. If you have loose brackets just fix them temporarily some orthodontic wax or place it over the braces so that it can give a cushioning effect. Consult your orthodontist at the earliest. If your band is loose, preserve it and meet your orthodontist to get it fixed or replaced. Missing spacers can also be replaced likewise.
Abscess . An abscess is a type of infection that affects the tissue around the root of the tooth or the space found between the gums and teeth. Developing an abscess can be detrimental to the tissue and the neighboring teeth and the infection has the potential to spread to different body parts if left unchecked or unattended. Hence, it is recommended to meet Dr. Gabbaypour if you find a painful swelling on your gums. This can help you avoid severe oral and general health problems. The best remedy to reduce pain and bring the pus to the surface is by rinsing your mouth with warm salt water as many times as possible. For that add half a teaspoon of table sat to 8 ounces of mildly warm water.
Soft-tissue injuries. Our tongue, lips, gums and cheeks are considered the soft tissues of our mouth and injury to them are called soft tissue injuries. They lead to bleeding in most of the cases. The ways to control bleeding are-
- Wash your mouth with warm saline (salt water).
- Apply pressure for at least 15 to 20 minutes on the bleeding point with the help of a tea bag or a gauze piece.
- Application of cold compresses on the cheek or mouth for at least 5 to 10 minutes is quite helpful as it lowers both bleeding and pain.
If the bleeding continues still, rush to your dentist immediately or meet the doctors of emergency room of a hospital. Remember to apply pressure on the bleeding point with the gauze piece until you receive appropriate medical attention.